Ti 19 - Janeiro 2023

SUSTAINABLE FASHION FROM PORTUGAL

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EXPORTS

Ana Paula Dinis, ATP Executive Director, says that the portuguese textile and clothing industry has been making a huge investment in terms of sustainability, circularity, innovation, product differentiation which is bearing fruits of this effort. This can be seen in the increase of the quality of exports.

By: Manuel Serrão

With all due respect to those people, like Ana Roncha, whom I recently heard at the Lusófona conference in Portimão ("O Ensino da moda e a ITV"), who think sustainability is a worn-out word, I write: "I don't agree". As we can see in the interview with the president of the ATP, sustainability for the textile and clothing industry continues to be of “very high importance”. Immediately explained, this importance is in this commitment by Portugal as a country that par excellence in sustainable fashion production lies one of our remarkable differentiating factors. I also fully follow Eng. Mário Jorge Machado defending that Portugal needs to invest a lot in the image of the sector as one of the places on the planet where the best quality textiles are produced most sustainably.

This desideratum is present in the answers set we publish in this edition to the question of the month. It is also in the name of the textile and clothing industry's desire to be at the forefront of the international promotion of our sustainable quality that companies spare no effort to be able to present themselves at the most relevant international fairs in ever-increasing numbers. t

Since exports will reach an all-time high, what caused this performance?

In fact, according to data available so far and ATP estimations, in 2022, Portugal exported more than 6 billion euros in textiles and clothing, the best result ever, with a growth rate of two digits compared to 2021. However, if we look at exports in volume, Portugal exported roughly the same amount as in 2021. That is, we are not exporting more products, but higher value products. This increase in the value exported is mainly influenced by the generalized rise in prices (inflation) of goods, services and increased costs of all necessary resources to produce textiles and clothing. And we are also witnessing an increase in demand of higher added value products (the general rise in production costs will reinforce this trend and Portugal will no longer be competitive in the production of less sophisticated items). The Portuguese textile and clothing industry has been making a huge investment in terms of sustainability, circularity, innovation, product differentiation and I think we can say that we are starting to receive some fruits of this effort, with a growing appreciation of “made in Portugal”.

Do you think it's possible to maintain this momentum in 2023?

The last years have been an example of how difficult it is to make forecasts, as at any time phenomena can arise to jeopardize all projections and planning.

We have seen how the disruption of supply chains can have a brutal impact on the access and price of raw

materials and resources needed for production, we have seen how excessive dependence on certain elements and/ or resources (such as energy, for example) can “kill ” our business, we have seen how we are all so interdependent and exposed to phenomena that may even be geographically distant, but sometimes have serious consequences in our daily lives. There are in fact too many variables that have an impact on the business and many of them are not controlled by us and are unpredictable. Even so, and according to what we know now, it is not expected that the export growth reached in 2022 continue in 2023.

The last months of 2022 were cooling down, with negative results in terms of exported quantity, with no expectations of substantial improvement in the first quarter of 2023. We know that the decrease in the purchasing power of families has a direct relationship with the decrease in demand for this type of item. Although there are signs that inflation will be more controlled, there are still several tension variables that will continue to negatively influence demand. Only when demand recovers will we be able to restart the volume and pace of production.

On the other hand, as we have already mentioned, in part, the increase in the export value of textiles and clothing in 2022 is due to inflation; once this phenomenon is more controlled, this contribution ceases to exist.

A drop in production is worrying, especially when so many workers and families are depend on the results of this sector. t

“We are not exporting more products, but higher value products”

RIOPELE INVESTS IN AI SYSTEMS FOR QUALITY CONTROL

Committed to digitization, Riopele invested in an artificial intelligence system for quality control to streamline its fabric inspection processes. The project started in the weaving area by installing this system on 13 looms. These 13 looms are capable of detecting any imperfections in the fabrics. It is “an innovative technology that integrates an automated quality control system, based on computer vision with the respective software supported by artificial intelligence models. The software detects faults in real-time in every centimeter of the fabric”, advances the company on its official website.

SENSIHEMP WON INNOVATION AWARD IN BARCELONA

ATP RESEARCHES WATER CYCLE SUSTAINABILITY

ATP is one of 15 entrepreneurial and academic entities involved in the recent creation of the Collaborative Laboratory (CoLAB) led by Águas de Portugal Group, which focuses on research and development to solve the main problems of water natural cycle in its various aspects. Called Water-driven Collaborative laboratory for Resilient communities (Water Co-Re CoLaB), the laboratory is a fundamental instrument in the framework of sustainability.

Topics as the efficient use of water, solutions for water reuse, climate change, sustainability, circular economy, resilience of infrastructures, digitalization of water and water/energy nexus are part of the agenda of the Water Co-Re CoLaB.

The application for constituting this CoLaB was submitted in December 2021, with the respective public presentation in January 2022, before an international jury created for this purpose by the Science and Development Foundation (FCT) and was one of the six applications approved last June by the FCT, from a set of 19 applications submitted.

t

Additionally to "evaluate and plan the most appropriate lines of research at this stage and bearing in mind the pressure this essential to life good is increasingly subject" the association must now hold its first General Assembly and elect the associative bodies, needs to update the initial business plan, and interact with the competent bodies - FCT and National Innovation Agency - in addition to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education in the context of the funding model of CoLAB, says Águas de Portugal in a statement.

Besides ATP, the laboratory also comprises AdP - Águas de Portugal, Fraunhofer Portugal Research Association, AST - Soluções e Serviços de Ambiente, DouroECI - Engenharia, Consultoria e Inovação, EDIA - Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infraestruturas do Alqueva, GALP, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Instituto Superior Técnico - Lisbon University, Super Bock Bebidas, Ventiláqua, Veolia Portugal, Minho University, Porto University – Engeneering and Requimte – Chemical and Technology Network. t

MUNDOTÊXTIL CREATES MORE SUSTAINABLE TERRY CLOTH

World leader in terry production, Mundotêxtil presented a new line of products. Innovative, more sustainable, and environmentally friendly, the new terry is the result of an investment

of over half a million euros in the TerryPlanet project, carried out in partnership with the Fibrenamics platform at Minho University. Based on the development of innovative structural

engineering, it is centered on the principle of three-dimensional and multilayer structures. The research promotes the communication of liquids between several layers.t

BE@T CONSORTIUM, LED BY CITEVE, BETS ON BIOMATERIALS

The BE@T consortium, led by CITEVE, aims to set a new pace for change in the production of materials with high-added-value from biologically and ecologically sustainable resources. Based on the principles “of nature, circularly and sustainably, for people”, the first pillar involves fossil raw materials reduction, thus developing new quality materials and manufacturing processes not based on fossil fuels, preferably organic.

LASA GROUP INSTALLS 2,820 PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS

To reinforce sustainable production and to reduce its dependence of energy, Lasa group will install 2,820 new photovoltaic panels, increasing its capacity to 2.2Mwp. “We have always been aware of the added value of distributed renewable energy. For this reason, we already have a good part of the energy generated from Greenvolt Next's solar panels”, says Silvério Rocha, energy projects coordinator of Lasa.

is the number of national distinctions in the ISPO Textrends Awards

INOVAFIL BRINGS CLOSED-CYCLE PROJECTS TO ITS PARTNERS

With a focus on fighting against pollution, Inovafil has developed a solution called InovafilRecicla, which is embodied “in a platform whose main objective is to promote partnerships for the creation of 360-degree textile projects (closed cycle)”. The project will allow customers/ partners to manage and treat their pre -consumer and post-consumer waste, to give them a 'Nova Vida' (new life), thus contributing to the reduction of textile waste and minimizing consumption of raw materials.

The Portuguese brand Sensihemp won the 'Best Innovation Product' award at the CBD Hemp Business International Fair, with hemp t-shirts dyed with onion skins. The fair was held in Barcelona, and the t-shirt dyed with BioTint process won the prize. “This t-shirt is nature personified,” says the project founder Marta Vinhas, in a statement. The BioTint process is “an innovative process that collects organic waste from local products and transforms it into paint, thus contributing to the circular economy”, emphasizes Marta Vinhas.

" Ready-to-wear orders are falling, but there is no drop in sports, quite the opposite"

HELENA GARCIA Gulbena Director

ACATEL DEEPLY INVESTS IN SUSTAINABLE FINISHES

Acatel's autumn-winter 23/24 collection con tinues to bring novelty and contributes to the company's focus on verticality and sustaina bility. After Moov & Cool, the moisture boost finishes with Q10 capsules and the finish made from recycled cotton, Acatel is now launching BioSoftener4. With a smooth touch and soft to wear, BioSoftener 4 is a finish made from plant seeds and biowaste components suitable for any fiber.

VALÉRIUS AND CONSCIOUS FABRIC DEVELOP A NEW PRINT

Valérius 360 and Conscious Fabric Makers presented a new, more sustainable printing option, which combines two traditional (water-based) screen printing techniques with digital printing. Design and producion are in charge of Valerius Hub and the fabrics used were developed by Valérius 360 together with Conscious Fabric Makers. In the present case, product was a hoodie made of American wool with 50% recycled cotton reinforced with 50% lyocell. The design developed by Mariana Campinho, creator of this collection, modeled and stylized the hoodie through this new print option.

CASA DA MALHA JOINS SMARTEX AND ELIMINATES WASTE

SIDÓNIOS COMBINES SUSTAINABILITY AND SEAMLESS

A 100% biobased seamless coordinate led Sidónios an ISPO Award at the last edition of ISPO Munich. Comprising leggings and a top, suitable for yoga and pilates, the set incorporates tencel luxe, a new yarn created by Lenzing that does not contain petroleum derivatives in its composition.

The product derives from wood from controlled forests and is made with cellulose pulp. “Until now, seamless items used blends where 10% to 20% of the mesh had to be synthetic. In partnership with Lenzing, we tried a new yarn that guaranteed quality knitting and was sustainable”, says Bruno Silva, manager and commercial director of Sidónios.

In five months, the Smartex system allowed Casa da Malha to make relevant savings on manufacturing and environmental costs and waste. After a pilot project, the knitwear manufacturer announced a partnership with the technology focused on efficiency in textile manufacturing.

Between April 1st and September 1st, Casa da Malha saved 1,858 kg of raw material, 208,170 liters of water, 16,728 kWh of electricity, and 4,165 kg of Co2. These numbers were presented in a statement where the two companies announce “a new partnership that exemplifies how Casa da Malha invests in cutting-edge technology, in sophistication of processes and always improving quality of production”.

According to the manager of the Barcelos company, Carlos Dias, the system “avoided major

losses in our production chain, so obviously we intend to continue this promising partnership and cover our entire production system”. On the Smartex side, CEO Gilberto Loureiro expresses his satisfaction “for having concluded a successful pilot project, and now we are working alongside Casa da Malha, setting a precedent here in Portugal and Europe for a super modern and efficient factory”.

Smartex’s goal is to help the textile industry become more sustainable by using Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI helps to eliminate defective productions through sensors, cameras, and accelerometers with computer vision and artificial intelligence systems, which can detect fabric defects right from the weaving process.

Focused on creating value

through innovation and development of technical, functional, comfortable, and highly differentiated knitwear, Casa da Malha is a company that invests in efficiency and cutting-edge technology. “With a wide production area with state-of-the-art circular looms, both electronic and mechanical, capable of transforming various types of fibers (natural and synthetic) into different knitted structures such as jersey, piqué, terry, interlock, rib, honeycomb, among others”.

Knitters in countries such as Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan already have adopted Smartex’s system to eliminate waste at the origin of the textile manufacturing process. In Portugal, Casa da Malha now joins manufacturers such as Impetus, Tintex, and Familitex, already using the Smartex platform. t

“As far as I am aware, this is the first time seamless has a natural base. The pieces presented at the fair are just an example. We already have international brands interested in it”, adds the manager. And that was precisely the aspect highlighted by the competition jury: “this is proof that it is possible to find a 100% plant-based solution, even for leggings and sports bras”, reads the ISPO Textrends Awards magazine. t

"Each company is unique, no matter the similarities it may have with competitors or partners"

RICARDO SILVA Tintex CEO and ATP Board Member

FROM PORTUGAL

GREEN THE

Cofinanciado por Co-financed by

Por: Sofia Botelho, "Sustainable Fashion From Portugal” Project Director and ATP Executive Director

The Way From Portugal The Edito

Capitalising on the foundations laid by The Green Book and The Green Wave, which provided an overview of the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Industry's commitment and measures toward achieving environmental sustainability, as well as the momentum driven by The Green Materials, which explored a renewed perspective on materials and their usage—a most essential approach toward the aforementioned goal—, this new magazine, The Green Way, which also emerged from ATP the project “Sustainable Fashion From Portugal”, highlights the processes and technologies that are being carried out today, in order to achieve the goal of producing a more environmentally friendly fashion: all in the name of a better tomorrow.

“The Green Way” is an open window to the ensemble of greener recycling, dyeing, finishing and printing processes currently being employed by Portuguese companies. Moreover, it delves into the efforts of said companies toward managing water and energy resources, toward complying with the growing relevance of traceability and digitalisation, and, lastly, toward exploring and raising awareness to the vital role of decarbonisation as a means of reversing the harm that the Textile and Clothing Industry (TCI) brought upon our Earth. Above all, this magazine aims to act as a showcase for our one and common path, a path which, albeit far from complete, is being built upon solid values of commitment, seriousness and rigour— concepts that, over time, have guided the performance of one of the undeniable giants of our country's economy.

Upon following the evolution of this sector for over 30 years, I have had the pleasure of being part of a journey that has been punctuated by continuous and ongoing improvements. Faced with stern competition from countries where the production of garments entails significantly lower costs, the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Industry made itself known by excelling in product quality and development. Then innovation and design emerged as differentiating factors too. Nowadays, adopting a path built long before the word sustainability first established itself as a mainstay of a more global consciousness, it is the introduction of greener raw materials, the careful management of water and energy consumption, and the application of more eco-friendly textile ennobling processes that stand out. This path, trodden by textile and clothing companies alike, leads to a brighter future for all. t

BECAUSE WE CARE

In our day-to-day life, textiles and clothing are something we are used to taking for granted, without often realizing that the evolution in this sector is much greater than one might think. Beyond the doors of factories, laboratories, research centers, universities, associations, creators and producers, there is a world in motion, in the sense of using technology and science in favor of a giant industry that wants to be cleaner and more eco-friendly.

In this publication, dedicated to the different processes in the textile area, we see how the word sustainability is no longer just a green flag or a business card, but a necessity for companies and a requirement for consumers.

We are in a phase where the implementation of solutions are already benefiting the producing entities and the environment. Everyone wins with less water use and less energy consumption, with less harmful chemicals in dyeing and finishing, in the use of recycled fibers and in the creation of a digital map for the raw materials and value chain.

A few decades ago, when the fast fashion boom began, it would be hard to believe that one day we could look at a piece of clothing and know the entire production process with such fragmented characteristics. The idea of bioeconomy will connect all players: designer, creator, producers and consumers. The life of a piece begins with its design and ends at the time of recycling, when it will give life to another article. The more accurate this system is, the more existing fibers can be used and the less impact the industry will have on available resources, which must be preserved. Instead of extracting, we are going to imitate nature through biotechnology.

Recycling and traceability are the main catalysts for this enormous transformation that we are witnessing. They will be the true mirror of sustainability and transparency, where the different phases of the textile and clothing industry will be exposed. All processes are related and all will form part of a new circular system.t

Isabel Lindim, Editor & Contents THE GREEN WAY From Portugal Magazine

Mário Jorge Machado, ATP's President

"WE MUST INVEST IN THE IMAGE OF PORTUGAL AS A CENTER OF SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION"

The bet of the Portuguese textile and clothing sector as a sector committed to sustainability and circular economy is a reality that is important to publicize internationally - otherwise it may not become a business rational. Based on an old saying, we can say that “it is not enough for the Portuguese textile sector to be sustainable; it must be known by all others that it is”. Mário Jorge Machado President of ATP considers that the sector must find a mechanism to multiply this awareness.

What is the importance of the Sustainable Fashion From Portugal project in your opinion?

It is very important. One of the great differentiating factors in promoting Portugal is to be seen as a sustainable producer, which we already are, but we are in the process of transforming ourselves to be even more sustainable and more circular. If we do not promote all the effort the companies are making in terms of technology, in training people for this transformation, we run a great risk of not being internationally valued for all this effort that is being made.

Do you think the textile sector has already done all it should stand out internationally as a country of sustainable production?

We are still a long way off. We need to invest heavily in our image, not only sector wise but also as being one of the places on the planet, where the best quality is produced in the most sustainable way. We must invest in the image of Portugal as a center of sustainable production. There is still a lot to do to promote this image of the textile and clothing sector as an area that is committed to sustainability. There is still a huge difference between the reality of what we are in terms of industry and of what we are investing to promote what we are.

In practical terms, what needs to be done?

We need to insist on what we have been doing: showing in the main events and in the main international fairs the products

that are made in Portugal. We also need to create events in some countries - namely the North American and Scandinavian markets - to target the main brands and the main designers by promoting and communicating to those markets and customers, showing them what we do.

That perspective fits one of the Portugal 2030 strategies, doesn't it?

Exactly. In addition to participating in events, we ourselves have to create events and we have to do so where what the Portuguese sector is doing in terms of sustainability will be discussed and disseminated.

Does the European Union also have a sustainability plan for the textile sector? Is it a good plan?

The European directives that are being drawn up - and Euratex is taking part in the discussion - if implemented in accordance with what Euratex is suggesting to the European Commission, the plan will be a great opportunity for the European textile and clothing sector, particularly for the Portuguese sector. Because it will force the playing field

to be levelled: whoever wants to sell in Europe will have to comply with the same production rules in terms of sustainability and transparency as those complied with by European companies. It will be a great effort in terms of border control requirements, but it will be a way for us to guarantee this even playing field, which has been completely unbalanced.

Do you believe that the European Union will maintain that commitment? For example, the Indian textile confederation seems to be wanting more flexible rules.

We are convinced that it is. There cannot be a rhetoric of having to make a transition to a more circular and sustainable textile sector, and then go and make derogations that allow those who do not have sustainability practices to continue to sell in the European Union as if nothing had happened. The European Union must remain uncompromising - we are demanding this at Euratex. We cannot allow ourselves to have rules not to pollute and at the same time allow others to pollute. In fact, the European Commission

itself has already admitted that we must stop being naive - applying rules to some and allow others to apply other rules.

Will the rules apply to the whole chain, or only to production arriving in the European Union? In other words, will there be traceability from origin?

We can only impose rules on products that are to be sold within the European Union. What producers do on their territories does not fall within the Union's scope.

The Portuguese textile sector had an excellent performance in 2022 namely on the export front. What was the reason for this performance?

We must divide the year into two parts: a first phase, which did contribute to growth, and a second phase of the year in which growth was very low. In this second phase, we saw the impact of war and the impact of inflation on shrinking demand. Hence the fact that we are not celebrating the value of exports, because we are experiencing a situation where there is a strong decrease on the demand side, with companies forced to reduce their number of working days: there is no demand, there are no orders for every day of the week.

With the aggravating factor that the bad part of 2022 “sticks” with 2023 Precisely.

In this scenario, what do you anticipate for 2023?

What we can anticipate with some clarity is that the first months of 2023 will be quite difficult in terms of demand. The expectation is that, during 2023 the situation will improve, either because inflation will start to be controlled and the price of energy will start to decrease, or because there will be an end to war.

These three factors will allow what was positive in 2022 to continue in the second half of 2023. We must overlook the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023: a lost year. t

PORTUGAL IS THE MOST INNOVATIVE IN ALL WEST

RDD INVEST IN ORGANIC MATERIALS

Portuguese companies were distinguished with 42 ISPO Textrends Awards, including two Best Products won by A. Sampaio. In the new Textrends Awards contest for sportswear, Portugal brings four Best Products from Munich: two for Gulbena (in the Wind Break and High Waist Legging categories), another for FORteams LAB, and one for Olmac (Stubborn Polo).

In the World Cup for innovation in materials and accessories for sports, held in Munich, Portugal was only surpassed in the number of awards by the Asians (Taiwan, China, and Japan) and has been ahead of the European and North American competition.

Beyond the 32 distinctions in the Tex-

trends Awards contest – in which, in addition to Sampaio’s Best Products, there are several Top 5 and Top 10 to register – Portugal received nine awards in a new contest, the Textrends – Apparel Edition, which premiered in this edition. In the Best Product category, four of the six total awards went to Portugal, putting us ahead of the rest of the world. Portugal won nine nominations in the sportswear category, being the most awarded country. The products chosen by the jury were on display at the ISPO Textrends Forum in Pavilion C2.

Having an ISPO Textrends Awards distinction on the label is a tool that helps retailers and consumers. t

RIOPELE CREATES SUSTAINABLE FABRIC FOR AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR

Presented at meetings with the leading automotive manufacturers, Riopele has a new sustainable fabric developed with focus on mobility and for which Riopele has exclusivity. The creative base is Tenowa. A product made with recycled raw material (textile waste) and cork waste –which results of the incorporation of cork-a-tex yarn.

A new product fits into Riopele’s purpose of creating a deeper connection and interaction with the mobility sector, which also intends to introduce a vision of fashion at a time when the automotive market is also asking for differentiating and envi -

ronmentally friendly raw materials.

“This new development has very relevant technical characteristics, with greater resistance to abrasion, pilling and wear, and has dimensional stability during the washing and drying process and antibacterial properties”, highlights the design manager for the mobility area, in a note from the company. João Amaral also advances that “Riopele has the exclusivity of this product for the mobility area”.

The company advances that this new product involved several departments. “The creative base is Tenowa – an acronym for

Textile No Waste – which, in its genesis, breaks the linear production system, as fabrics result from textile waste, with no need to use only virgin raw materials”, explains R&D director Albertina Reis.

This new fabric is one of the finalists chosen MODTISSIMO as a candidate for the iTechStyle Awards in the Fabrics category, selected from several proposals based on the assumptions of innovation and sustainability. It is also worth remembering that Riopele has already announced the intention of having 80% of its articles classified in sustainability categories by 2025. t

JF ALMEIDA INVESTS IN GREEN ENERGY TO REDUCE COSTS

To face the constant increases in the price of gas and energy, home textile producer JF Almeida invested 10 million euros in green energy. More specifically, new solar panels and a biomass boiler fueled with wood and fluff waste from the fabrics. “In the first quarter of this year, compared to the same period last year, JF Almeida spent around two million euros on gas and energy”, advances Joaquim Almeida, CEO of the Moreira de Cónegos company, in an interview with RTP. “We have a gas bill of between 350 and 400 thousand euros, and the boiler will represent 80 to 90 thousand euros”, adds João Almeida.

Being a world leader in the sector, RDD has launched two new organic and sustainable collections: the 'Food Dye Capsule', in dyeing and finishing, and 'theHarvest' in vegetable fibers. RDD Textiles uses bio-based, regenerative, or recycled materials. The 'Food Dye Capsule' collection, by Pangaia had RDD as a development partner and the technology was created by Food Textile. It is a collection that results from food pigments extraction using an ancient method of obtaining colors which is a low-impact textile dyeing option applicable to large productions. 59%

of SMEs consider sustainability important for their business

GREEN MATERIALS FROM PORTUGAL MAGAZINE IN MUNICH

The magazine ‘Green Materials From Portugal’, edited by ATP within the scope of the Sustainable Fashion From Portugal project, was also present at ISPO Munich. There were many glances from visitors and exhibitors who were not oblivious to the curiosity aroused by the edition. This new publication, launched during Euratex Convention last October, addresses different fibers and their advantages, recycling and natural dyeing processes, ecodesign, bio-economy projects in competition, and trends for the future, always focusing on sustainability and the circular economy. The presence of the magazine at the fair, integrated Pavilhão de Portugal and reinforces with practical examples the quality and ‘green’ aspects of ‘made in Portugal’, which was accompanied by two previous publications: ‘The Green Wave‘ and ‘The Green Book‘.

"The response to the crisis must be given through the union between all European agents in the sector"

ALBERTO PACCANELLI Euratex President

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

by: Ana Rodrigues & Bebiana Rocha

THE EVOLUTION OF THE ‘SUSTAINABLE FASHION FROM PORTUGAL’ PROJECT

Launched in September 2020 and presented by ATP – the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Association, the project ‘Sustainable Fashion From Portugal’ was created to expand the sector's creative and exporting potential. It is inserted in a context of environmental sustainability across the spectrum of its value chain. The project has been at international trade shows, organized showcases presented at several events, a lecture in Brussels, Webinars about Sustainability, and video report at Clin d'Oeil sur le Monde of TV5 Monde . Three publications have already been released and a fourth one is almost ready to be presented. More news will come!

5. BUT THE PROJECT IS NOT ONLY MADE OF SHOWCASES BUT ALSO OF PUBLICATIONS. ‘THE GREEN BOOK FROM PORTUGAL’ PRESENTED IN JULY LAST YEAR AT PREMIÈRE VISION PARIS IS AN EXAMPLE

6. SOFIA BOTELHO, PROJECT DIRECTOR, AND PAULO GOMES, EDITOR & ART DIRECTOR, OF THE GREEN BOOK AT MODTISSIMO. THE BOOK IS A COMPILATION OF THE PORTUGUESE TEXTILE SECTOR'S BEST PRACTISES AND SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES

11. SOFIA BOTELHO, PROJECT DIRECTOR, PRESENTS THE LATEST MAGAZINE AT THE CONVENTION

10. THE EURATEX CONVENTION, HELD LAST OCTOBER, ALSO REFLECTED ITS CONCERN WITH SUSTAINABILITY BY HOSTING THE SUSTAINABLE FASHION FROM PORTUGAL SHOWCASE

1. ANA PAULA DINIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ATP, PRESENTS THE PROJECT 'SUSTAINABLE FASHION FROM PORTUGAL' FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE SEPTEMBER 2020 MODTISSIMO EDITION, THE LARGEST AND OLDEST PORTUGUESE TEXTILE SALON, WAS THE CHOSEN LOCATION

3. THE SUSTAINABILITY SHOW ON DISPLAY AT PORTUGAL FASHION IN OCTOBER 2021. A LOT OF COLOR AND ECCENTRICITY MARKED THE PORTO FASHION EVENT

8. TO CONTINUE COMMUNICATION PRACTICES OF SUSTAINABILITY, ATP LAUNCHED THE GREEN WAVE MAGAZINE ON DISPLAY AT MODTISSIMO, WHERE IT CAUGHT THE EYES OF MANY ONLOOKERS

PRESENTS A NEW SHOWCASE, THIS TIME AT MODTISSIMO, MAKING THE ENTRANCE TO THE EXPONOR PAVILLION EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE AND BUSTLING

4.

2. THE SUSTAINABLE FASHION FROM PORTUGAL SHOWCASE TRAVELS TO LISBON. THE IRREVERENT TOUCH OF COORDINATES DRAWS THE ATTENTION OF VISITORS

7. WITH AN INTERNATIONAL SCOPE, THE PROJECT WAS PRESENT AT THE PRESS CLUB EVENT IN BRUSSELS. ATP WAS REPRESENTED BY IT'S PRESIDENT MÁRIO JORGE MACHADO (RIGHT)

THE PROJECT

9. TOURS OF INTERNATIONAL FAIRS CONTINUE. THIS TIME THE STOP IS AT ISPO, THE STAGE CHOSEN TO PRESENT THE MAGAZINE 'GREEN MATERIALS'

14. THE PROJECT CONTINUES TO DO WELL AND HAS NEWS ON THE WAY.

13. EXECUTIVE BOARD OF ATP IN CONVERSATION WITH RUI BOAVISTA MARQUES, DIRECTOR OF AICEP - BERLIN, DURING ISPO MUNICH

12. THE SUSTAINABLE FASHION FROM PORTUGAL PROJECT JOINS THE PORTUGUESE COMMITTEE IN YET ANOTHER EDITION OF ISPO MUNICH. VISITORS STOP TO BROWSE PUBLICATIONS

HR GROUP AND RECUTEX GIVE NEW LIFE TO MCDONALDS UNIFORMS

HR Group and Recutex have teamed up to give new life to the old uniforms of Mcdonald's Portugal chain. The result is 5,000 cloth bags delivered to Ronald McDonald Children's Foundation for hygiene and comfort kits. It is yet another joint effort to reduce textile waste. The transformation of the old uniforms included several stages, such as the manual sorting of materials and the spinning of a new fabric without any dyeing, which was carried out by Recutex. The bags were made by the HR Group, which created the new uniforms for the North American fast food chain. t

FAMILITEX LAUNCHES KNITTING WITH CORK

Familitex, the weaving company based in Barcelos, presented a new knitting made with cork fabricated on a circular loom. The mesh is a part of the ‘Green Line’ distinguished by eco-friendly raw materials use.

This knitting – presented on October 27 by Familitex through social networks – is produced using cork, a 100% natural, recyclable raw material and a sustainable, biodegradable, and renewable resource. This new approach is, therefore, revolutionary and allows to modify the intrinsic structure of the knit, and allied to the company’s sustainable and circular commitment.

The ‘Green Line’ is a range of GOTS and OCS-certified products that use only recycled and certified organic materials, ensuring traceability of the production process and the seal guarantees all standards to minimize harmful environmental impact.

In the same sense of saving resources and reducing waste, Familitex is one of the Portuguese textile companies that installed Smartex V1 on its circular looms in January 2021. The innovative system created by Portuguese technology uses artificial intelligence to inspect the knittings and detect faults. t

JFA RETURNS TO INNOVATION IN THE FINISHING AREA

JF Almeida has just launched a set of home textiles with a new finish called Envigorate, which introduces and amplifies the benefits of negative ions in textile materials. The new finish can be applied to 100% cotton products or mixtures such as linen, viscose, or others.

“This finish provides antidepressant effects, re -

duced response time to stimulation, a more energetic attitude, happiness, and a feeling of tiredness and relaxation”, the company said on its platforms. Usually associated with natural environments, these sensation types can be created and transferred to home textiles. The textile company from

Moreira de Cónegos specializes in finishes, generally divided into regular, aromatic, and protective finishes, namely soft touch, neflame, anti-UV, odor-stop and easy care. JF Almeida is currently a vertical company, including services of yarn dyeing, terry cloth, quilts and fabrics, color laboratory, and paraffination. t

TMG AT ISPO TO REDUCE EXPOSURE TO FASHION

TMG Textiles debuted at ISPO within the framework of the strategy to reduce exposure to fashion and find new markets, taking advantage of its skills as a fabric and knit manufacturer. “Reducing exposure to fashion does not mean getting out of fashion, where we want to continue to grow, but rather entering new, more technical market segments, such as sports”, explained Hélder Rosendo, Business Manager at TMG Textiles.

98%

is the weight of exports in Impetus' turnover

A. SAMPAIO AND LEMAR TOGETHER IN THE BSEARCULAR PROJECT

A. Sampaio , Lemar, INEDIT Studio, Seaqual, Epson, and the Lisbon School of Design developed the BSEArcular project. It is an initiative created to give new life to the waste that pollutes the oceans. The project presentation took place on the 16th of November. The initiative has SEAQUAL as responsible for transforming collected plastics into fine polyester threads. A. Sampaio and Lemar produce recycled polyester fabrics using the yarn, and LSD organized a contest for fashion pieces made by students and printed with lsustainable large-format technology from Epson.

OLMAC INNOVATES WITH PIECES THAT GO BOTH WAYS

50% savings in energy and water consumption is the sustainable attractiveness of the two-piece-in-one concept, created by Olmac and which captivated the ISPO Textrends-Apparel Edition jury to the point that they decided to award it three prizes, one of which Best Product. The two-in-one concept is simple – which combines with keeping it simple, one of the megatrends for the future – and sustainable. Each piece is reversible, meaning you can wear it on both sides. Here, innovation consists of seeing everything doubled. “We washed two items in a single wash”, summarizes Orlando Miranda, Olmac’s manager, highlighting the sustainable and functional characteristics of the three award-winning items – a polo shirt (Best Product), pants, and a jacket (Top 10) – which means there are seven pieces.

" Energy prices are at a level that was unimaginable until recently"

SUSANA SERRANO Acatel CEO

OPINION

WE MUST REINVENT THE INDUSTRY AND BUILD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Mário Jorge Machado President of ATP's Board

I was re-elected President of ATP – Associação Têxtil e Vestuário de Portugal Board for a new mandate, which will run until 2025. In a period marked by an uncertain and volatile environment, the goal is to ensure stability of a strong, credible, and active organization, moving towards its 60 years of existence celebration. But it will have to renew and regenerate to design and build an even greater future for the entire sector.

We live in a period of remarkable change and instability. COVID-19 has disrupted development dynamics on an international scale, disrupting supply chains, and affecting the prices of raw materials and energy. This brought over the theme of reindustrialization and proximity production to government agendas, aiming to avoid third-party dependencies in distant geographies.

The globalization process suffered a sudden slowdown, and industries such as textiles, clothing, and fashion, dependent on long supply chains, are forced to reconsider and redesign all their business models. A combination turned out to be strongly catalyzed by the outbreak of war in Ukraine, along side with the effects of Western sanctions on Russia, had considerable impacts on the price of energy goods, raw materials, and food, determining an exponential increase in inflation and a rapid degradation of the global economic situation.

Furthermore, there is an environmental emergency: sustainability, circularity, de -

FAIRS

Luís Almeida Professor of

Engineering

I had the opportunity to visit the TECHTEXTIL / TEXPROCESS / HEIMTEXTIL fairs in Frankfurt. After a long break due to the pandemic, Messe Frankfurt has invested heavily in holding these three fairs together, about which I would like to highlight some aspects. First of all, the presence of Portugal at the fairs is relevant. From Portugal stands had remarkable visibility and sucess. In the case of TECHTEXTIL, the attribution of the innovation prize in the area of sustainability and circular economy to the consortium ERT, CITEVE, CeNTI, and CTIC for the recovery process of natural leather waste and its use in the textile in -

carbonization, and energy transition bring constraints, but also opportunities to the economy and human development.

In this context, the textiles and clothing industry must continue to seek excellence, as they have always done, through resilience, adaptability, flexibility, and risk minimization investment, which is essential to survive to a variety of setbacks.

On the ATP side, we will strive to meet this transformation, fight to defend the sector and its member's interests, particularly to improve competitiveness conditions and promoting collective bargaining to ensure social peace and sustainable development. This transformation also requires promoting and giving visibility to the Portuguese textile and fashion sector and reinforce the ATP's proximity to its members. Proximity can be reached by increasing ATP's representativeness, by asserting itself as the most significant and active association in the sector, and by improving and diversifying services to meet the needs of companies.

Finally, I leave you an appeal. In this process of profound transformation and volatility, only in cooperation and with everyone's effort we will be able to go further with better results. ATP has always had and will continue to have its doors open to everyone. With the spirit mission to defend and promote the Portuguese textile and clothing sector.

Join us! Let's work together. t

dustry. Undoubtedly an excellent example on the path of circular economy, giving visibility to Portugal in innovation and sustainability.

At TEXPROCESS, the highlight goes to the company ROQ, which invested in a large stand with machines in almost uninterrupted operation. The combination of traditional one-piece printing and digital printing in the same machine, with integrated drying and packaging solutions, was undoubtedly one of the points of attraction for visitors.

As for HEIMTEXTIL, which Messe Frankfurt exceptionally decided to join to the other two fairs, Por -

tugal's commitement was timider. Many companies of this sector absence of many companies from the sector, which can be understandable given the date on which the fair took place, which usually takes place in January. Even so, the “From Portugal” stand at the entrance to the noblest pavilion gave good visibility to our country.

At the three fairs, Messe Frankfurt sought to invest in innovation and sustainability. Undoubtedly followed by most exhibitors, these bets cannot fail to be the priorities of any company, especially in these moments of great uncertainty about the short-term future. t

INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY AT FRANKFURT

Textile

at the University of Minho and member of the ATP Advisory Board

THE GREEN WAY

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